I’m a big fan of chicken, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes. I eat that for lunch at least five times a week and usually for dinner a few times.
I don’t disagree. From an evolutionary perspective, we should enjoy food (this applies to natural whole food - not industrial “food”) that gives us the nutrients and energy we need to thrive. That’s why I’m a huge fan of raw, unprocessed honey (probably the tastiest food found naturally in nature), eggs, meats, and fruits. If broccoli, sprouts, and kale were so good for me, why would they taste so bad? My instinct is to spit them out, not eat copious amounts of them.
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It’s interesting what makes us “feel” good individually. I always hated being full
So I have a few questions after reading through the thread.
- Regarding the meat/egg only diet referencing ancestral eating patterns, how do we confirm they only ate meat and eggs, and how far back are we going? People were eating plants at least as far back as the hunter/gatherer age and every time an ancient frozen corpse is discovered it seems like they immediately analyze poop stored in the colon and find plants in the mix.
Are plant products sincerely brushed aside and is the Caveman diet out the window now or does it still hold some merit?
- Using an example of the inability to source pineapple during ancient times in what is now Kansas or Canada or wherever, what about ancient tropical cultures who would’ve eaten pineapple regularly? Is the assumption that we trace genetics to a geographic place and build a diet from there?
For example, my genes are primarily Northern European with some Western European in the mix, but I live in an area that used to be Comanche Indian territory and our primary animal protein (beef) is not native to the region anyways. I’m pretty sure pork and even chickens aren’t either. I hunt native animals, but my ancestors would’ve been eating caribou and reindeer, not whitetail.
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Do we ignore or discredit volumes of studies on the beneficial health effects of plants, or is there room to work them in at least a little bit?
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If flavor preference is a guidepost, how do we account for different preferences? I don’t know how but my wife loves broccoli and green beans. I think they taste like dirt, but she could eat them by the bowl. Did she evolve wrong or is there a possibility taste buds don’t necessarily equate to health validity in our gene pool soup of a body?
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Regarding elimination diets, is there any credence to intestinal flora adapting to a diet? Is it possible that by eliminating a food an adaptation was made to the new diet, and reintroduction is a temporary agitation until the body can readapt and efficiently digest and use the food in question again?
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Readily noticed bodily reactions, for example cabbage and farts - what about protein farts? Meat sweats?
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I’m going to throw a doozy, but what about supplements? How are pre/peri supps justified?
Sincerely asking and trying to understand the logic.
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The only real answer is that it is all optional. You can find experts to back up virtually any diet, including getting and/or remaining fat.
Decades of conflicting and often terrible diet advice from the health establishment has resulted in a lack of trust, so people all have to choose their expert(s).
All of our ancestors definitely ate all the meat they could get their hands on. Societies with an abundance of meat never bothered to develop large-scale crop cultivation. The Mongols powered their armies with meat and dairy, simply taking the agriculturalists’ stuff because they could. They whooped everyone’s ass and would have continued whooping everyone’s ass if not for the invention of the breach-loading rifle.
By all accounts, it was an army of exceptional athletes.
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All good questions. I am of the mind that we are all different and our bodies are always adapting to the environment. They are the ultimate system and sometime the adaptation is problematic (sudden rise of gluten allergy).
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This I agree with, and for general purposes tend to find the “middle” the most agreeable, with an alteration for high protein in the weight training crowd, given studies across the various diets and their ultimate failures & drawbacks in some cases.
This I also agree with, and largely see fad diets as marketable events. The diet and health industry is exactly that, an industry.
I believe it would serve all of us well to understand the science as much as possible and apply accordingly.
I just can’t get my head around the all meat thing, at least not long term. Granted I’ve only read about it topically. I understand it for a physique goal but I have a sneaking suspicion if it is maintained long term it, like many junk diet predecessors, will end with some negative health effects.
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I don’t plan on getting 90 percent or more of may calories from meat and eggs in perpetuity, it is just an effective way for me to induce a calorie deficit and still feel great and perform well enough.
Simplifying shopping and meal prep has been a nice byproduct as well. I’ll never get sick of strip loin.
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Ahh yes, I am well versed in microwaving my food
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steak and eggs are magic… Marines would eat that before amphibious assaults in WWII
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Humans evolved on meat. Provided it’s as natural as possible I couldn’t see any harmful or negative outcomes
Açaí Bowl > Steak and Eggs
Which ones?
My guess would be cardiovascular issues and increased rates of cancer if a double blind, peer controlled study over time could be done.
Dr. Paul Saladino, the “Carnivore Doctor”, is an interesting early case study, even if a one-off.
Definitely fascinating. Shawn Baker as well. I have seen some theorize Paul experienced electrolyte imbalances and vitamin A toxicity
I’m not sure. I would imagine people on either side will attempt to find info that supports their view. In the end to each their own, but I think it’s wise to be objective.
Plants provide numerous health attributes backed by longtime observation and study, meat does too, a balance seems best by the data. At least for long term health.
Regarding evolutionary signs, I personally still put credit in both our omnivore teeth and our ability to digest plants and animals and utilize them. Most studies and observations where possible showed our ancestors had an omnivore diet.
Just my opinion but I see the carnivore diet as a temporary means to an end, like extreme carb manipulation or fasting, and not something to maintain long term.
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Me neither. No one can be
Paul might know, if he had blood work done following heart palpitations. I don’t know if he’s made details public or not.
Me neither
I agree meat in and of itself probably won’t create negative outcomes if natural and prepared in a healthy way. And for the record meat is a huge part of my diet, especially red meat.
I do think missing the health benefits that fruits, veggies and nuts provide over time would eventually create or at least allow for some problems.